Misery Loves Company
by FanFanwoo
Summary: Eve Stewart, a young woman with a normal life starts to witness strange events durning her research about the Sullivan case, which happened 10 years ago after his death. Her inmense curiosity will lead her to a world seen through the eyes of someone else.
1. Introduction

_Author´s note: Well, this is my first story written in first person. I hope it´s not bad. Enjoy!_

_**I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER!** Except for Eve of course._

* * *

CHAPTER 1

My name is Eve Stewart, I´m 23 years old and I live in the town of Ashfield. I have a simple life, home duties, job, I also go every day to Silent Hill and visit my mother´s grave to flee from the stress. I go talk to her and leave some flowers. I also like to leave flowers to some other graves near hers, like my mother used to do when my grandmother died. Then I travel back home. I have a great fascination about ghosts and paranormal things which makes me very superstitious.

I´ve been very interested about the events of the Sullivan case which happened 10 years ago. After I heard about his death and mysterious reappearance, I wanted to investigate. The cops said it could be a copycat or maybe the man who died wasn´t the real Walter Sullivan, but I´m still unsure about that. I started my research since then.

One day, while writing a report, a weird vision appeared right before my eyes. A shadow of a man was standing in front of me. It suddenly vanished. Also weird dreams started to appear every night. It was always the same dream; A dark and empty hall, doors everywhere. There was a man walking through that corridor. Once he passed, the walls turned red, full of cracks. A screeching noise could be heard at the end of the hall. Then, everything turned black. A white light was seen, shining over a door with the number 302 on it. The door suddenly opened. Baby cries could be heard from the inside which suddenly turned into terrifying screams from people being brutally tortured. The clean room turned into a nightmarish place. The door slammed in front of me just before I could go inside. Then I´d wake up.

I decided to write about this dream. What could it mean? People say dreams have meanings. But this one I´ve been having, it´s so wicked.

My head hurts, I need a shower…

Behind the tub curtain, I saw the same shadow of that man. I moved the curtain slowly, no one was there. The tub was completely filled with warm water. Warm mist moving in front of me as I rested my head on the wall, relaxing silence, perfect place for me to think.

I heard someone knocking outside my room.

"Who´s there?" I asked, but no one answered. What was I thinking? Perhaps it was just the sound of the wind hitting my window or the neighbor´s cat.

I prepared myself to go and visit my mother in Silent Hill. Wallet, traveling bag, subway tickets, everything was ready.

* * *

Back from the graveyard, it was already afternoon when I arrived to the subway station back to Ashfield. No one was there, except a little boy who was entering into the subway. I entered and sat on a seat in front of him. He looked at me and smiled.

"Hi." He said friendly.

"Hi."

The doors closed and the subway started moving. It was weird no one else was inside the subway. I usually see at least small bunches of people in here. I looked around, no people at all. I felt worried about the kid. Working part time as a babysitter to earn money made me soft towards kids.

"Uh, kid. Where is your mother?"

"Oh she´s waiting for me in Ashfield, in her room." He said enthusiastically.

"Really? Mind if I ask, what were you doing alone in Silent Hill?"

"I live in a place called Wish House."

His answer confused me. Wish House is an Orphanage. If he had a mother, why was he there? I didn´t asked anything else. I didn´t want to scare him or something. He stared back at me and smiled sitting right next to me.

"What´s inside your bag?"

"Hm? Oh, some flowers I had for my mother."

"Where is she?"

"Uh well." What was I able to say? The answer could be strong for him. Oh I know. "She is in a special place called Heaven."

"Heaven?"

"Yes. Is a place where good people finally rest and live happy forever."

He paused a moment and stared at the floor. "Will I go to Heaven?" He looked back at me.

"Maybe yes. Someday." I smiled at him and placed my hand on his head. "You look like a good boy."

He blushed and giggled covering his face with his hands. The boy was adorable. Still, I don´t get why is he in Wish House.

"You come to Ashfield often?" I asked.

"Every week."

"Oh nice."

We spent the rest of the trip talking. He usually gave me short answers, swinging his legs and smiling shyly. He talked to me about his friends in Wish House, the games they played and the things he learned. Very unusual things I must say. He told me he traveled to Ashfield to see his mother who was 'asleep' inside her room. I don´t know what he meant with that.

The subway finally stopped.

"Well, I gotta go. My mom is waiting!" He exclaimed jumping away from his seat. "Uhm, will I see you again?"

."I hope." I nodded. "Here, let me give you something." I took off a necklace I was wearing which had a small emblem on it. A relic from my childhood, as my mother used to say. "It´s very special to me. Take it and you will remember me until we meet again."

He smiled. "You are a very nice woman. Thank you!"

"Tell me kid, what is your name? I never asked you."

"It´s Walter, Walter Sullivan."

My heart skipped a beat. His name is the same as the serial killer from the Sullivan case. Mere coincidence perhaps.

"Gotta go now. Thank you very much for the necklace! I will always remember you Miss Eve!" He waved his hand and left the subway station.

I stood there watching him as he ran upstairs to the streets. I really liked to talk with children, but this kid was very special.

* * *

I went back to my home. The same shadow of that man was standing in front of me when I entered my kitchen. As always, it vanished. I sat on my couch, it was late and dark already and I was tired. Traveling for half a day is exhausting. I lay on the couch thinking again about the kid I met in the subway this afternoon. I closed my eyes and started to meditate about my weird 'visions', maybe all my work was driving me dizzy. I fell asleep.

A soft childish giggling was suddenly heard inside my head, it slowly turned into a young man´s chuckles. The dream started again, the same as always. But this time, it was only the bloody walls surrounding a white door with the same numbers on it. In front of it, it was the little kid I saw in the subway station. The place was gloomy, the air was thick, heavy. The dream felt more like reality. The kid was knocking the door, screaming, calling for his mother. The door opened and the boy vanished. It was dark inside. The voice of the kid was still sounding like an echo. The voice started to sound like if it was a young man´s whispering calling for his mother to wake up. Again, the door slammed upon my face and I woke up in a jump.

A cold breeze ran over my face, but the windows were not open nor the air conditioner was on. I can´t believe it is morning already, I spent the whole night on my couch. It was Friday, I didn´t have much things to do so I decided to take a warm bath for my aching head and neck.

I filled the tub with water. I locked myself in my bathroom, even though there was nobody in my house but me. I really liked privacy. I lay inside the tub, resting my head outside the water. The room was filled with warm steam, everything was silent, just the sound of water was able to be heard.

Nothing could bother me.

I spent some time there, this week was a bit heavy, exhausting and a little wicked. I remembered about my last dream. That kid I saw yesterday, standing in front of that door. He said something in the train about his mother living in South Ashfield Heights, in 'her room'. Could it be? I needed to investigate. But now, I shall rest.

* * *

**END CHAPTER 1 To be continued...**


	2. A threat?

_Author´s note: Second chapter, __I hope you enjoy it!  
_

_**I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER!** Except for Eve, durr._

* * *

CHAPTER 2

I´ve been thinking about this kid the whole week I couldn´t even concentrate in my works. I decided to go to the apartments in South Ashfield, I had to kill my curiosity about this boy. Perhaps I´m exaggerating things, but I really needed to know what this dreams and the boy could mean.

When I arrived, I saw him there, running inside the building. I followed him discreetly, walking upstairs until I finally reached the third floor. I heard the boy´s footsteps, but I looked to the corridor, he was gone. I walked slowly watching carefully the numbers on each door. There was I, in front of the door 302. I wasn´t really sure if I wanted to knock and go inside, perhaps my mind was just playing with me. I raised my hand to knock, but I doubted. I walked away. I heard the door slowly creaking behind me. The door 302 did open, like if it was inviting me to enter. I think the boy actually saw me following him. I looked inside the room before entering, no one was inside, there were no sounds of people being there. I gave one step ahead and something pushed me inside aggressively. I turned around and the door slammed in front of me. Something really weird was happening.

"Hi Miss Eve!"

"Oh dear!" A little voice scared me real bad, it was only Walter. "Hello Walter." I said recovering my breath after the scare.

He only giggled.

"So, this is where you come everyday?"

"Yes, I come here to visit my mother."

"Where is she?"

"Here!"

His answer confused me, he didn´t pointed where his mother actually was. He only jumped and raised his hands, like showing me she was everywhere or something. I smiled at him.

"Mom says you´re welcome here!" He said excitedly.

I gave a low chuckle. "Mind if I take a seat?"

He nodded.

I was still really confused about what he was saying. He was talking like if his mother was an imaginary friend. I sat on the big couch and I looked around. Walter just ran into the small corridor in the room. I just waited, looking around. It was a nice place. Walter´s giggling could be heard at the end of the small corridor. The air started to thicken, it was hard for me to breathe.

Suddenly the walls started to crack and 'bled' as they opened, the radio on the bookshelf started to make a strong static noise, the clock went crazy ticking without control. Was this another nightmare? My head started to ache so hard my sight became blurry, the sound of a baby crying echoed and it turned into horrifying screams. I tried to run to the door, I was completely frightened. Everything was turning into a horrific place covered in blood, rust and flesh. I turned the knob desperately, pushing and pulling the door. It didn´t open, it was stuck; I was trapped inside the room. The noises became louder, my headache became stronger. I fell on my knees gasping desperately for air. I turned around and I saw the boy, I blinked and he turned into a young man with a blue trench coat and long dirty blond hair, then everything turned dark.

* * *

I woke up in another room. A woman was watching me as I opened my eyes.

"Oh thank goodness you´re alright." She exclaimed. "How are you feeling miss?"

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You are in my apartment. You fainted in the middle of the corridor."

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"The boy, the little boy."

The woman remained silent for a moment, her expression was like if she was worried about something, or maybe just confused. "But, there wasn´t a boy. I was coming out of my room when you fainted, I didn´t see a boy anywhere." The woman said.

"Wait, you said I was in the middle of the corridor? But I was inside a room, the room 302 in this building. That boy was inside with me too."

"But miss, nobody is living in that room. My friend Henry was the last person who lived there and as far as I know, no one else has been living in that room since he left."

"What?"

"Yes, my friend moved out from the apartment 302 some days ago."

I couldn´t believe what I was hearing. I was sure that what I saw was real, well, at least a little before the whole transformation in the room started. I still had a small headache. I was dizzy.

"Are you alright miss?" She asked.

"Yes thanks. I have a small headache but I´m fine. Oh and call me Eve. What is your name by the way?"

"My name is Eileen Galvin." She said gently.

There was a short pause. Eileen filled a bag with some ice. I was so confused. I sat on the couch I was and looked around. Her room had boxes everywhere. "You just moved here?"

"Oh no, I´m moving out." She sighed. "Strange things were happening and I don´t feel comfortable anymore."

"Strange things?"

Eileen just nodded. She walked towards me and handed me the ice bag. "Hope this decreases your headache Eve."

"Thank you Eileen. I´m curious, what kind of strange things happened here? If may I ask."

"Well..." She paused sitting on the armchair. "I don´t know how to put this. Henry and I got involved in a weird event which started in his room actually."

"Room 302?"

"Yes. It is hard for me to explain, I don´t know if you would believe me, also, it is something I´d like to forget."

"Oh, sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"No problem."

We remained silent for a moment. I remembered these dreams I´ve had the last few days. The number 302 in my dreams, the room that boy was, the strange event Eileen talked about in her friend´s room... Is this all a coincidence? I´m even more confused.

"Eileen."

"Hm?"

"I´d like to talk to you about something, it may sound weird but…" Come on Eve, don´t screw things up.

"Weird?, I don´t think I´ve seen weirder things than the ones I saw in this place."

That… kinda made me feel more comfortable. "I keep having this dream about this gloomy place where a door with the numbers 302 on it was. There was a man in that dream, I couldn´t see his face, but he was always standing in front of me. Before I´m able to enter to that room, it always slams in front of me and then I wake up."

Eileen was listening with attention, the more I was telling her about my weird dream, she started to feel nervous. I needed answers about this mumbo jumbo.

"Then I met this boy a couple of days ago. We were talking on the subway to Ashfield, he told me about going visit his mother in 'her room'. Today I followed him here just because I was really curious about what was happening. I swear I saw him right now, just before I fainted."

Eileen stood thoughtful. "H-how was he?" she said stuttering.

"Well, he was like a 6 year old kid, green eyes, he wore a striped sweater. His name was Walter Sulli-."

Eileen gasped before I could finish and she turned a bit pale. She looked away to the floor. I started to worry, somehow I knew something was really bad with all this. An unconfortable silence filled the room as Eileen stood up scratching her head as she walked to the kitchen counter.

"Is something wrong?" I had to ask.

"He´s still here." She said to herself. I could hear her. I felt really nervous my hands started to shake a little. Eileen looked back at me with immense worrying and walked close to me. "All you´re telling, is it true?" She said nervously.

"If it wasn´t true, then how I ended up here?"

"True."

"I don´t know what the hell is happening. At first I thought it was just one of my superstitions. You are worrying me, what´s going on!"

"You surely know about the serial killer from the Sullivan case, don´t you?"

"Of course I do."

"This little kid, he actually is a manifestation of his innocence. I know it sounds unbelievable but it is true. The fact that he keeps coming to South Ashfield Heights to the room 302, it is because he thought that the room was his real mother. He became disturbed by the fact that his real parents left him there at birth and as he grew up, he went demented. There is when he started murdering people. His real objective was to murder 21 people for a ritual he called 'The 21 Sacraments' so he could wake up his mother. He did kill himself in prison becoming the 11th victim, there is when everyone thought it was all over, but somehow his soul managed to keep murdering the people he still needed for his ritual."

Ritual? Now that kind of makes sense to me. "How do you know all that?"

She sighed. "My friend Henry and I were involved into that nightmare. We were part of his wicked ritual. That is why we are leaving this building. I brings terrible memories and also we feel insecure here."

"But, the real question here is, why is he appearing in my dreams? Or why was I able to see him? Well, his young self."

"I´m not really sure. Perhaps he is trying to come back to us somehow."

I rubbed my forehead. Now I knew the truth, but I´m more confused.

"You better go home now." Eileen said looking at the window. "It is getting late. It gets a little dangerous to go out at night."

"Yeah."

"Oh, before you go, I´ll give you my phone number, just in case you need help. I´ll give you my new address later, just in case."

"Thanks."

I stood up from the couch and walked to the door. I turned around to Eileen who was right behind me. "Be careful."

"You too." She said with a worried smile.

I walked out and I heard her close the door. I didn't know how to feel, worried, surprised or fascinated. I wasn´t sure. Perhaps I feel pity for Walter. I wonder what would have happened if he didn´t become mad or if his parents didn´t abandoned him. None of those horrible murders might have happened. On my way home, I felt a presence following me. I felt shivers on my back. It could be him. I just kept walking until I was finally at home. That presence disappeared when I opened the front door. I changed my clothes and went to bed. I rested my head on the soft pillows and looked at the ceiling. I had so many thoughts in my head. What if he really wants to complete these 21 Sacraments? But why is he appearing here and not in South Ashfield Heights while Eileen was still living there? Is he going to kill me too? I closed my eyes. His voice echoed clearly inside my head.

"Mom says you´re welcome here!... I will always remember you Miss Eve!..."

I started to have another dream, but now it changed, it was more real this time. I was in a dark room. A thin haze was filling it. There was a big crucifix, blood bags, a big book among other 'religious' things around, like if someone had made some kind of ritual… The ritual... A petrified corpse was hanging, tangled to be exact, on the big crucifix. I went closer and I saw the corpse´s face. It was so familiar. I could see sorrow and pain in his eyes which were looking upwards. His body was rotting, on his feet there were numbers carved, the blood was fresh, yet the body seemed to be dead for a long time. I felt sorry for him. My curiosity grew. I raised my hand and caressed his face, it was cold as ice. His eyes moved and they were looking at me.

"M-mom... mom..." He mumbled, his lips moving slow, a couple of black tears ran down his cheeks. He raised his hand trying to reach my arm. Everything started to vanish like smoke, the corpse disappeared, the crucifix, everything. Everything was gone.

A chilling scream screeched so strong in my head it made me wake up by a jump. My heart was beating really fast after that scream. I covered my face as self comfort, trying to calm myself. I saw my hands, I had blood on them. I ran directly to my bathroom and looked into the mirror that was hanging over the sink, my nose was soaked in blood, it was still dripping over my mouth and neck. I washed my face and cleaned it with a small towel which later I had to wash immediately. I didn´t want blood stains in my beautiful white towels.

I walked back to my room. The air became heavy again, the room looked foggy, something really strange is happening, am I still dreaming? There was a strange mark on one wall, it was shaped like a face. I looked closer and with a great snap, the walls started cracking and 'bleeding'. I started to have a very strong headache in that moment. I walked away from the wall, some kind of thick ooze was growing on the wall followed with groans of agony. My headache kept growing I could barely think of anything but the body that came out from the ooze. I couldn´t see well because of the headache, everything was blurry, still, I was able to distinguish the shape of the weird body which seemed to be raising its arm. I closed my eyes and rubbed them desperately. Once I opened them, everything went back to normal. It was quite frightening. I turned around and for my dismay, something pulled me right into the wall violently. The same body had grabbed me close enough I could hear his weak breathing. The strong headache started again and the walls began to crack. I struggled as I felt this man thing clinging his hands around me as I felt his cold breath trying to whisper something between his gasps and moans.

"H-He...will...k-k...kill...you..."

His grasp became tighter he was almost strangling me. He kept repeating the same phrase over and over. Suddenly the cracks on the walls, the fog, and the thick ooze started to vanish along with his voice. He sled his hands slowly over my shoulders and started to disappear into the wall. My headache was still strong it affected my vision. Everything was blurry. I felt weak and in terrible pain. I fell heavily on the floor. Everything turned black, and I saw his face again. He was smiling.

* * *

**END CHAPTER 2 To be continued...**


	3. Moments of tension

_Author´s note: The whole story is based on the 'Good ending' of Silent Hill 4 where Henry and Eileen survive but the apartment is still haunted. Third chapter, the story is going well so far. Enjoy!_

_**I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER!** Except for Eve._

* * *

CHAPTER 3

I woke up in the subway station. I was sitting on a bench. I don´t know how or when did I come here. I can´t remember anything. I just passed out inside my room, and then I woke up here. The subway station was oddly empty. The ambiance was cold and almost ghostly. I just sat there, waiting for the subway to come, but, am I really waiting for it?

Fifteen minutes passed, nothing happened. Twenty minutes, still nothing. Almost an hour and the subway didn´t appear. I left the subway station, waiting wasn´t worth it. I was just wasting my time here, I´m not even planning to go to Silent Hill right now anyway.

The corridors were pretty dark and a little foggy. When walking, I could feel a strange odor, like rotten meat and blood. I kept walking. It was getting cold as I walked up the stairs. For my surprise, when walking out of the station, in less than a blink I was walking up the stairs inside South Ashfield Heights. It shocked me. I gave a step back and I felt I hit something. I turned around and suddenly I was inside that room again, this time the door was chained, completely locked from the inside. I turned around and in front of me was a tall man, the same man I´ve been seeing inside my dreams. He stared at my eyes with an intense expression from the armchair he was sitting on. 'This must be another nightmare' I thought to myself.

I was wrong.

"Please, make yourself in, Miss Eve." He said gently pointing at the sofa besides him. He seemed so calmed, not so threatening as I remember from my dreams. Still, I felt terribly uncomfortable. The air was heavy and my heart was beating hard inside my chest. I felt my knees trembling and my hands were cold. I walked slowly towards the sofa, my heart still uncontrollable. "Don't feel 'shy', Miss Eve. Your presence here doesn't bother anyone in this room." he said smiling and the way he said that seemed to mention he wasn't the only person present there watching me. I sat there and nodded, showing a forced smile that seemed to be a very nervous one. Walter, curved himself on his knees. "So, Miss Eve, I think you wouldn't miss this opportunity of a nice chat... I'm sure you have some questions, just the same way I have mine." his voice was still calm and somehow kind. I remained silent, I tried to say something, but I could feel a painful lump in my throat. He gave a low chuckle. "Well... as you calm down and organize your questions... may I ask mine?" his voice still calm, his face revealing a smile. I could see he was trying not to lose time, a long silence at that moment could be awkward and I probably wouldn't make to speak first. I just nodded. I couldn´t keep my eyes away from his eyes. He had such an innocent stare. He seemed so interested in me somehow. "Do you care about other people?... strangers?" he asked, I thought it was a kind of question totally off the subject we were in, I mean, the 'dreams' and everything that I went through until now.

"W-well, sometimes..." Those two words were the only thing I could throw out of my mouth. I had a weird sensation of anxiety and fear. The air was still thick and hard to breathe in. Maybe that is what makes me feel like this.

"Why? You don't even know them. You don't know what they have done, if they are good or bad, if they have done something good being a bad person or something bad being a good one. You don't know who they really are." His low voice talked slowly but these words made my heart beat faster.

"I don´t know. I think that no one is good or bad, just another being in this world... I guess." Maybe that wasn´t a smart answer.

"You think so?" He raised one eyebrow and stood thoughtful for a second. "Would you forgive the devil?" He said staring deeply into my eyes. Tough question.

I´m not a very religious person, but that question really banged in my head. What to say? I bit my lip trying to look away from him. I had a strong feeling of intimidation. His green eyes were like doors that lead into an endless spiral staircase. My hands were shaking and my heart was beating even faster, it was almost hard to breathe with the strange ambiance."I-I guess. Everyone deserves to be forgiven, ev-everyone deserves a second chance."

Walter sat straight as he sighed heavily with an incredulous expression. "Would you really take the risk to face death by forgiving those who probably deserved a cruel fate and those who gave pain to others?" He smiled.

I didn´t know how to answer. He was probably playing games with me. "Who are you?" I said keeping my eyes on him. His smile grew as he chuckled. Suddenly everything started to fade, he had disappeared. I was then back in the subway station. But everything was dark. The air was still thick.

I heard a woman talking at the end of a dark corridor; she was laughing and talking with other to women. I walked closer to where the women were. I stood in a certain distance, watching them. I knew they weren´t real. They were like ghosts, transparent, like if I was having a vision. A young man walked close to them and talked with one of the girls. They only talked as the girl's friends were trying to keep the man away from her. Suddenly the girl started to scream at the man and left with her friends, they walked right where I was standing, and they vanished just before we made contact. The man just stood there, he looked upset. I walked closer. I couldn´t see the man´s face perfectly, his dirty long hair was covering it. He walked away and disappeared as he moved slowly into the darkness.

I woke up on the floor of my room. I felt an uncomfortable pressure on my chest and a piercing pain on my head. My phone was ringing from the living room. It´s noise was hurting me like if my head was being hit with a hammer. I tried to stand up slowly since I was weak and dizzy. I checked the phone number; it was just a friend of mine. God my head hurts so much I don´t feel like answering. I let the phone rang until it stopped activating the voice mail. My friend was inviting me to a party we were planning to go tonight before this visions started. All this crazy stuff made me forget completely about it.

I sat on my couch thinking. I don´t think I´d be able to go to the party tonight. Unless I feel better later, I really doubt about it though.

I won´t do anything special today. I think I should rest and stop thinking about Walter for a while. In fact, I think I should write a diary about all this. My memory is not so brilliant and I think this is really interesting to remember. Maybe I can share it… No, no one would believe this. Everyone would think I´m crazy and that I need help. This will remain with me. But how about Eileen? I guess I still can tell her. Oh but this conscience that confines me, I think Eileen´s purpose to know about Walter is to know how to stop him, and I don´t want to stop him, I want to know more about him. I still fear him a little though.

I turned on the T.V. to entertain myself. Only static was shown. That stupid cat messed with the antenna again. The noise was so strong I couldn´t resist more I turned it off. Now what? I picked up a magazine from the bookshelf. There was a block of information about Wish House written a journalist, Joseph something, I don´t remember his name, but I remember he was one victim from the Sullivan case… I couldn´t read well, the letters were like dancing and fading as I read. My head felt like a honeycomb full of angry bees flying around.

The headache was increasing and it was really starting to annoy me. I walked into my bathroom and took some pills from my cabinet. I took a couple of them, I hope the headache disappears. I walked back to the living room and turned on the radio. Rock, classic, pop, I don´t feel like listening to that. Some jazz will do it.

The ambiance was a bit heavy; my house needed ventilation so I opened the windows. I felt great breathing some fresh air after some weeks in this weird confinement. It was oddly calmed, but I´m fine with that.

In the radio, the music was interrupted by a screeching sound followed by a soft static sound…

"Incoming news; The death of the young female that was found in the room 103 in the South Ashfield Heights apartments yesterday is still unknown. It was thought she had a heart attack since there were no signs of homicide or possible suicide, but after the autopsy made on her didn´t show any signs of a heart attack or any other kind of normal sickness…"

A dead woman in South Ashfield Heights? No normal sickness? I wonder what happened. I walked a little closer to the radio and sat on the armchair next to it to listen carefully…

"The superintendent Frank Sunderland and two other residents of the apartments reported that before she was found dead, her screams could be heard. After more investigation, the police found strange black markings in the room and the doctors later found similar markings on the woman´s body from the outside and her insides. Frank Sunderland added that it wasn´t the first time something 'strange' happened in that building…"

As the reporter talked, static interrupted the sound of the radio. At least I heard enough. I´m worried about what is going on now.

* * *

**END CHAPTER 3 To be continued...**


	4. Putting the pieces together

_Author´s note: Finally, after a long time I can upload this new chapter, I hope you enjoy!_

_**I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER!** Except Eve._

* * *

CHAPTER 4

A week has passed since my last meeting with Walter. The nightmares became more intense I could feel great pain in my sleep like if I was actually in reality and his presence was stronger, he was closer every day. Everything feels so strange. This morning I read the newspaper, trying to find if there was more information about the woman who died a week ago, nothing interesting. Sports, politics... everything was just normal. Looking around every photo, I saw something that caught my attention. It was a photo about the graveyard in Silent Hill, a blurry shadow of a person was there like if it was walking in the graveyard, it was sort of disfigured.

My phone rang breaking my concentration.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Eve talking?"

"Yes, who is it?"

"Hi Eve! It´s me, Eileen!"

"Hey! It´s been a while!"

"I got really worried about you! You heard last week´s news? Are you Ok?"

"Yes and yeah, I´m alright. I´m really worried now."

"I know how you feel." She said. "Why don´t you come to my home, I shall call Henry, maybe he can help us."

"Sure."

"I´ll send you my address."

"Thanks."

* * *

"So you mean he´s been watching over you?" Henry said from the sofa crossing one leg.

"Not sure why..." I sighed. "Well, first of all, I have knowledge in paranormal stuff and I have great interest on the so called Sullivan case, call me crazy but, as far as I know, ghosts appear when a person is too close to things related to them."

"But Walter is not a ghost, or is he?" Eileen said taking a sip from her glass with cold lemon tea.

"I think so." Henry said. "All his crazy ritual is still a mystery to me."

The 21 Sacraments, I wonder..."Henry?"

"Hm?"

"You know about the victims Walter killed? I mean, where they people he randomly chose to his ritual?"

"Well..." He coughed. "I know a little about that, but with the little information I could get from that event, he actually chose the victims carefully. Most of them were people he knew in his life."

"I see."

A short pause filled the room with silence.

"I still don´t get it." Eileen said to Henry. "If you killed Walter, how is he still here?"

"Beats me." Henry rested his head on the back of the sofa.

"I guess he won't rest until he finds what he is looking for." I added.

"Yeah, I guess you´re right." Henry sighed.

"You two think Walter was 'bad'?"

"I think he was disturbed by such a tragic past." Eileen said.

Henry huffed. "Besides, whoever took care of him in that Wish House place filled his head with crazy stuff."

"I still feel pity for him." Eileen sighed. "And, how about you Eve? What do you think about him?"

"Me? Well, I really don´t know, I really feel bad for him, but I fear him. I wasn´t really expecting this to happen."

"Good or bad, Walter is still dangerous." Henry said resting his elbows on his knees. "Whatever you do Eve, don´t feel too confident. We don´t know what´s he really up to."

Yeah, I understand Henry. But I think the only way to know is to get more information from him, personally. I always understood the phrase of not judging something before knowing more from it. Risking my life is not worth it, neither is leaving my 'work' undone. I must be crazy then, by deciding such things like this. This is such a contradiction.

* * *

After my short visit to Eileen´s house, I traveled back to Silent Hill, but this time, I went directly to Wish House. Perhaps I could find more answers there. For my surprise, there was nothing, just a pile of ashes and wood. I tried looking around just in case I could find something useful, notes, boxes, I don´t know, anything. Of course it was impossible, everything looked completely consumed and burnt. There was a little entrance on the floor which led to a small chamber. I walked down the stairs and started searching again. I could hear screams from a man inside my head. That voice, it was so familiar...

"I finally met him! The one, the nosy guy talked about the devil!"

Upon my eyes, I saw fire. The numbers 17121 appeared on the wall, written with something that seemed like burnt flesh. Then I remembered that here he died...

Jasper...

I knew him way before he died. I used to refer to him as 'the guy who was in my college'. We were never best friends but still we spent time with each other, sometimes. He usually came to me since we both liked similar things; my interest in ghost stuff and his interest in some sort of order. Jasper used to call me 'ghost girl'. Poor guy, always shy, he seemed to have a small stuttering problem. Still, he was very loyal, he helped me to get on time to the hospital when I heard my mother was dying, he stood with me in the moment my mother died. We used to meet on the library and he always talked to me about a group of people who worked in Wish House, brainwashing children with weird religious stuff. Now I get it... the pieces are finally starting to fit in their places. The victims, the 21 sacraments. That is one of the things they taught to Walter when he was a child.

I still need to know more of this.

On a table I found a notebook, it was almost intact, no burnt edges, no mud or dust. It was kind of new. The notebook had a label with the name 'Walter Sullivan' written on it. I started to see through the pages, most of the pages had little drawings, but some of them were kinda strange and somewhat dark; children being eaten by monsters, a man without face, prisons. Every little drawing had a little message written. There was a big drawing almost at the end of the notebook; it was a big sunflower and on the top corner of the page it w as written 'the good woman gave me flowers again'. Interesting. I grabbed the notebook without thinking twice and immediately kept it inside my traveling bag. It´s getting late, I shall go visit the graveyard before I leave.

On my way, I felt a presence again. I wasn´t sure if it was him. I just kept walking.

"Is heaven real?" A soft voice surprised me.

"What?"

"Is that true that heaven exists?"

I turned around and I saw young Walter standing in front of a grave, the tombstone had his name written on it. He looked back at me, his sad green eyes stared at me making my heart sink. "I-I guess it does exist."

"Then... why am I still here?"

His words pierced my heart like needles. A big pressure embraced me with a very strange feeling. I couldn´t stop a couple of tears from running down my cheeks. My mind was full of thoughts hitting like a storm.

"Why are you crying?" Walter tilted his head" Did I say something bad?"

Well, this question kind of made things worse. I bit my lip and closed my eyes as more tears came from my eyes. Covering my mouth, I tried to calm myself. He walked close to me and hugged me.

"I´m sorry Miss Eve."

I kneeled down and surrounded him with my arms hugging him tight. "It´s ok... it´s not your fault."

"It isn´t?"

"No. I just... I just had a thought."

"Was it sad?"

"Mmhmm... sort of."

"I, uhm, I´ll go and see my mom again. Would you like to come with me?" Walter said putting one of his fingers inside his mouth.

"Sure." I couldn´t refuse. I still had so many questions to ask and this might be my chance to talk with him again.

* * *

The trip was long from the forest to the subway, I had to carry little Walter from time to time. Inside the subway, Walter sat close to a toy box that was on a seat next to the door. He looked at me with a smile. I still had that uncomfortable feeling I had a moment ago in the graveyard and it was kind of distracting me. I tripped before I could reach my seat and luckily I grabbed from a pipe. Walter giggled.

I sat next to Walter just when the subway started moving. He hugged my arm and rested his head. I was staring at the window as the subway moved slowly. The shadow of a long haired woman stared at us, she was just there motionless. She faded as we moved out of the station. Gosh, all this visions are confusing me more than helping me finding answers. Most of this things are not what I´m actually looking for. Perhaps I´m seeing them because, I don´t know, maybe I´m able to see Walter´s memories.

I saw the clock, this day was going into an end quite fast. Now that I´m going with little Walter to the Ashfield apartments, I shall try to stay in room 302 a bit longer. I must know more about him. That´s what I´m really looking for. But now that I think about something, why is Walter´s young self so different? I mean, he doesn´t know anything about what he did even though he´s...dead. I looked down to him, he was sleeping with a smile on his face. He looked so innocent. I grabbed him carefully and sat him on my lap. He cuddled on my chest sighing as he rested his head on me. My head was filled with thoughts, so many thoughts.

I think I should rest while I´m on my way back to Ashfield. The journey is kind of long, I better sleep as well.

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER 4 To Be Continued...**


	5. Not your fault

_Author´s note: Close to an end, yet close to a new beginning perhaps. Last chapter of this story! WOOHO_

_**I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTER!** Besides Eve._

* * *

CHAPTER 5

The screeching sound of the rails woke me up. We were finally in Ashfield. The whole place was dark, the lights barely lightened the halls. Walter was still asleep on my lap sighing in every breath. Well, I suppose I shall carry him into the building. I don´t want to wake him…

"Are we there yet?" Walter mumbled letting out a small yawn. He slowly climbed down and walked to the door. "Let´s go Miss Eve, mom is waiting." He said with a tired smile.

I grabbed his hand and we walked outside the station. The air was cold, the streets were empty, it almost looked like a ghost town. I started to have an uncomfortable feeling. I think I´m taking this situation like if it was common, like if it was something daily, normal. Or just like if it was a weird dream in which I´m actually expecting what would happen next. I should listen to Eileen and Henry about Walter. He is dangerous. But I don´t want to. In fact, I don´t have much to lose anyway.

This is strange. I´m risking my life because of my insatiable curiosity. I know enough about Walter, but I keep forcing myself to go and seek him. I know deep in my heart I might find something else no one else could see about him. I´m trying to see through his eyes and understand him.

We made our way into the apartments. The hallways were empty, just at the end of the corridor I could hear someone yelling furiously. A small group of people were standing outside a room where the yells were coming from. Walter tightened his hand and hid behind me with fear.

A man was thrown outside the room half naked and terribly beat up. The other man, the one who was making all the noise walked outside and threw a pile of blood stained clothes on the floor.

"These clothes are disgusting! Get them outta my sight!"

I walked a bit closer to see better the whole situation, but Walter pulled me back. The people that were standing in front of the door took the clothes and walked into my direction. They vanished in front of my eyes. The man turned around and walked towards us with a furious expression.

"You! You snoopin' around again! Get your ass outta here before you really piss me off!"

Walter just covered his face behind me as the man walked away. "How dare you treat him like that?" I yelled at him. He ignored me and kept walking. "Listen to me!" I tried to pull his arm but my hand went through him like if he was a hologram. The man was nothing but another vision.

"That man scares me." Walter said still with his hand tight on mine. "He doesn´t want me to see my mom."

I sighed. "It´s ok. He´s gone now."

* * *

Walking up the stairs to the last floor, Walter ran away from me giggling leaving me all alone in the middle of the way. I only saw him disappear like a little ghost. I´m already here, I´ll keep going up.

The walls started to crack and bleed, the stairs turned rusty and the floor was covered in some kind of flesh. The air was heavy once again. Moans and growls were heard all around. A great headache started to grow the more I walked up. I couldn´t resist anymore so I stopped and closed my eyes. I felt dizzy and tired, I felt I was about to faint. Come on Eve, not now!

"Relax Miss Eve..."

I opened my eyes. In less than a snap all the weakness disappeared, the headache decreased and on the stairs, Walter was sitting right in front of me.

"Please, take a seat." He said. "Don´t be shy, I´m sure you still want to talk."

I did as he said. Deep inside of me I felt anxiety, an urge to start the conversation, take everything out of him. I must know more. He looked at me with a big grin on his face.

"I see you still insist to look for me."

I nodded shyly. "I… have to ask you, how did you know about me?" This question had to be answered once and for all.

He chuckled and stared at the ceiling. "In the graveyard, I always saw a mysterious woman pass leaving flowers to every grave that was on her way. She was always with a smile on her face. I really felt appreciated when receiving those beautiful sunflowers even though that woman saw me as a monster like everyone did." He looked back at me and he remained silent still with that grin on his face.

Sunflowers? Wait a second, that sunflower on the notebook, the nice woman, was it me all this time? Now I remember, but… "But why did you come to me?"

"The same reason you are coming to me." He smiled. "Curiosity."

I stood thoughtful, shocked to be exact. Going back to the beginning, I never had the intention to meet him… and now I´m forcing myself to do it. Terrible irony. I didn´t know how to react, I just giggled nervously. Now I see why he asked me those questions the first time I met him, and why was he so nice to me.

"You don´t have to do this." He said, now with a serious tone.

"Maybe not." I said looking down to the floor and placing my arms around my knees. "But now I don´t want to stop. I really want to know more about you."

"Why? What will you win with this? I think it´s useless for you."

"I don´t think it is…"

He stood in silence. A short pause created an uncomfortable feeling inside my chest. I didn´t know what else to say.

"Would you forgive the devil?"

That question again. I had to think of a clear answer for that, I just hope I don´t cause any trouble after this. "Even if that means I could die, yes." I said straightly.

Walter looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. He huffed and looked away.

"If you had the chance, like right now, will you kill me like the other 19 people you killed for your ritual?"

I saw his hands hold his knees tightly. "I could, but it would be useless. Even if I had to kill you to complete the 21 sacraments, it would not work. The ritual failed completely, I failed to sacrifice the last two of the chosen ones. Now, I´m destined to wander in this hell I´ve created forever. Mother never woke up."

"I´m uh… I´m… sorry." I said placing my hand slowly on his shoulder. He raised his head and looked at me even more surprised.

"What?"

Before I could answer, little Walter ran back to me. "Mom is waiting Miss Eve, come on!" He said cheerfully and ran away again. The other Walter was still sitting beside me and smiled.

"We shall go then." He said with a purring voice. I´m surprised he didn´t disappear like he did before. Everything is going well so far…I hope.

* * *

I sat in the sofa with little Walter resting his head on my lap while Walter sat on the armchair. The ambiance was sort of uncomfortable due to the presence of ghosts inside the building. Walter was looking at me with tenderness as I caressed little Walter´s head.

"How much have you learned about me?" Walter said still looking at my hand caressing the young child. "With him around, I´m sure you´ve seen a lot."

"Well, I´ve known enough so far, but still I have my doubts. Wish House, those visions, those dreams." I sighed. "All I´ve seen is like if the whole world had turned against you from the moment you were born."

"The first ones who turned against me were my parents, who abandoned me in this room when I was born."

"I didn´t know that."

"Then almost everyone I met in my whole life."

"Almost?"

"Just one person had a small opportunity to make me feel good, but still I felt bad… Eileen Galvin." He sighed. "It was one time, she was younger than me. She walked towards me. She smiled at me and gave me a doll to make me feel better. Looking at her holding her mother´s hand made me feel great sadness."

"I really don´t know what to say…"

"It´s not necessary."

I scratched my forehead a little. "Walter… that woman who died two days ago…"

"It wasn´t me…"

"I…" I wasn´t going to say something about him actually. "W-Well, you know what happened?"

"No one is safe in this place anymore. The disease will slowly spread and they will start dying slowly one by one, unless something changes."

"What must change?"

Silence invaded the room so sudden. I kept looking down to little Walter as he slept peacefully. Walter was smiling staring at the floor. He took his hand inside one of his pockets and pulled out the same necklace I gave to his young self the first time I met him.

"I think this is yours Miss Eve." He said raising his hand to me with the necklace hanging from his fingers.

"Th-Thanks, but you can keep it."

"You said it was very special to you."

"Yes, I know. That´s why I gave it to you the first time I met little Walter… before I knew he was you, actually."

Walter raised an eyebrow and chuckled taking the necklace back to his pocket. "Thank you again, Miss Eve."

I stood thoughtful for a moment remembering what I´ve learned so far about Walter. Oh and now I remembered about Eileen and Henry. Should I tell them about his? No. It´s not necessary. They would try to keep me away from him because I´m 'in great danger'. But I don´t see a threat anymore. Just a misunderstood soul. What used to be a serial killer on the news, is now a lone child in this world. Another victim of the real threats that exist all around us. A disturbed mind which didn´t had the chance to live in peace.

"It wasn´t your fault." I mumbled.

"What?" Walter said confused.

"It never was your fault. The way you became, was because of the fear of others. You were just innocent."

Walter just looked at me surprised. I actually was thinking out loud. I didn´t notice he heard me until I looked at him. He closed his eyes.

"You really think that of me?"

I raised my head with my eyes wide open in surprise, I bit my lip and nodded slightly.

Walter looked at me with a smile full of sorrow. The room started to vanish slowly, little Walter disappeared. Walter and I stood up, he walked close to me, close enough I could feel his presence, his warmth. I looked deep into his green eyes and slowly he vanished last. I heard a whispered 'thank you' just before everything turned black. I opened my eyes. I was on my bed. The clock was pointing 1:09 am. I was back in my home. I felt a cold shiver slide down my spine and an odd feeling all over my body. This conversation with Walter… it went a bit too far. But I feel I did well this time.

I think I know enough of Walter. But this means I won´t see him again? Well, I´ll let time to tell me that. I´ll be waiting with patience for that day to come.

* * *

**THE END**


	6. Epilogue

It´s been two months since I met Walter for the last time. My life was finally back to normal. I continued working as a baby sitter in the neighborhood, I kept visiting my mother's grave, Eileen and Henry kept calling me to make sure I was alright, but nothing out of normal occurred. I feel quite satisfied to have achieved my objective.

I kept listening to the news, the residents of South Ashfield Heights have been terribly ill with the same black marks on their bodies. No one has died. For now.

I tried to start a special diary about what happened to me and what I saw in my visions. I could barely remember anything. But I still remember his face perfectly. His green sad eyes specially. It´s like if he was in front of me…

One ordinary evening, while taking care of a couple of twins in a house that was two blocks away from mine, their parents just came home and I was arguing with them about the cost of my work. I started to feel a strong pressure in my head and the lady offered me a pill for the pain to stop. I was about to take the glass of water from her hands when suddenly the pain became so irresistible I couldn´t even hear a single noise or see anything at all. My hands started to shake, I started to sweat, it was hard to breathe, I couldn´t even scream. The couple ran towards me to help me and they called a doctor immediately. My body started to contract until I finally fell heavily on the floor.

Everything was blurry, I couldn´t hear very well. Then everything turned black. Only the sound of the ambulance echoed inside my head.

Once when I thought everything was over, I suddenly realized it was just the beginning…


End file.
